Green Bay Press-Gazette

Packers tight end Jermichael Finley (88) is upended by Jaguars cornerback William Middleton (29) after making a catch in the third quarter of Sunday's game at Lambeau Field. Also shown on the play is the Jaguars' George Selvie (91). / Evan Siegle/Press-Gazette

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With receivers Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson sidelined because of injuries, Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars figured to give tight end Jermichael Finley plenty of opportunities in the Green Bay Packers’ passing game.

But Finley caught just two passes for 24 yards. Afterward, he admitted he thought he would have a bigger game.

He was targeted six times, but that was tied for third most on the team with running back Alex Green behind receiver James Jones (nine targets, seven catches for 78 yards) and Randall Cobb (seven targets, five catches for 28 yards and one touchdown).

Still, Finley said he came away from the game encouraged that his role in the offense will increase. He said he met with quarterback Aaron Rodgers at the team hotel on the eve of the game. Since last December, Finley has been saying his chemistry with Rodgers needs to be improved.

“We met at about 10 o’clock last night and pushed it to about 10:45,” Finley said. “Just had a chat. Like I tell Rodgers, ‘The more that we’re different, the more that we’re alike.’ It was exciting, and you could tell I was comfortable out there. I know he had my back.”

Finley said his sprained right shoulder, which he injured on Oct. 7 at Indianapolis, was back to being nearly 100 percent despite taking one hard hit against the Jaguars.

However, Finley again drew the ire of the home crowd for what looked like a dropped pass in the first quarter, although Jaguars cornerback Aaron Ross appeared to pull down his arm just as the ball arrived, perhaps exonerating Finley.

“Once again, you get booed and whatnot, but it was a rocket for one, and then he had my arm,” Finley said. “I can’t do anything about it. He pulled my arm down.”

Going big

Coach Mike McCarthy in recent weeks has been working in a new personnel package in which offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith lines up at tight end or fullback.

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The Packers used that grouping four times against Houston two weeks ago and three times against Jacksonville on Sunday. McCarthy called it once in short yardage, a third-and-1 in which halfback Alex Green gained 6 yards. In the same package, Green had a 1-yard gain on a first down, and James Starks had an 8-yard gain on a second-and-4.

“It gives you an opportunity to get in the game, keeps you in the game,” said Dietrich-Smith, who’s the top backup at center and both guards. “There are certain situations we call on it. It’s a fun play to run.”

With 15 yards gained on three carries Sunday, the package figures to remain in the offense for the time being. The Packers presumably have a play-action pass or two they can call out of the formation also, though they haven’t yet.

“I have to give (McCarthy) the confidence to keep running it,” Dietrich-Smith said. “It’s kind of on me to make sure I keep doing my job. That’s what I want to do, because it’s fun to get in the game and play.”

No tuck?

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he thought his fumble late in the second quarter should have been called an incompletion because of the NFL’s tuck rule. Former NFL official Mike Pereira agreed in tweet.

The tuck rules states that if the quarterback starts his forward throwing motion and then tries to pull the ball back to his body, even if he loses the ball as he’s trying to tuck it in it’s considered an incomplete pass.

On the play, Rodgers started to throw and then brought the ball back to his body. Jaguars defensive end Andre Branch knocked the ball free, though on replays it was unclear whether Rodgers had tucked the ball and then fumbled, or was still in the process of tucking it.

“I actually told (referee Carl Cheffers) I said, ‘tuck rule,’ was my first thing,” Rodgers said. “I’m not a big fan of the tuck rule. I was actually pulling for the Raiders back in the (January 2002 playoff game) when (cornerback Charles) Woodson made (New England’s Tom Brady) fumble. I was living in northern California, pulling for Rich Gannon and the Raiders there, so I’m not a huge fan of it. It is the rule. That being said, as I stepped in the pocket, I felt like the ball was extending, I was bringing it back in, next thing I know I’m on my back and the ball’s not in my grasp. They recovered it. Obviously they didn’t think it fell into that great rule.”

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Benson's battle

Speaking for the first time since he sustained a Lisfranc foot injury against the Colts, running back Cedric Benson said he believes he has a decent shot at playing again this season.

He was placed on the injured reserve list that allows one player per team to return during the season but not count on the roster until he does.

“We’re looking to come back, but regardless of anything, I’m on an eight-week (injured list),” Benson said. “They put me on that partial IR deal, so we’re planning on that and expecting to go by then.”

He said he hasn’t been able to run yet but has been doing what he can to stay in shape.

“I’m expecting to come back,” Benson said. “So I’m keeping my hip flexor muscles active and making sure things don’t turn off or shut down, and I’m working my brain out with the playbook and in the meetings.”

Extra points

■ The Packers did little to get the sellout crowd of 70,464 at Lambeau Field into the game Sunday, and the players noticed the difference in atmosphere.

“You saw the fans out there today,” outside linebacker Clay Matthews said. “It was all the way around. They had a lack of energy, we had a lack of energy. It just was one of those things where you’ve been a part of this atmosphere where there’s more of an electric feel, whether that’s the time of day or who we’re playing or the record or where we’re at. Obviously it’s good we were able to get the victory at this time and understand that we’re kind of in the same kind of situation next week (against Arizona). You can see at times we picked it up, it’s still too much up and down.”

■ The Packers had two injured players who didn’t return to the game: Defensive lineman Jerel Worthy sustained a concussion on the Packers’ kickoff return that opened the second half, and defensive lineman Mike Neal suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter.

“Hopefully they don’t miss any games,” defensive lineman Ryan Pickett said. “We’re already low, we can’t afford to have any more of those.”